Oct 19, 2009

Rhinebeck !!!

I'm back and it is so hard to know where to begin because the last 4 days have been simply wonderful. I visited family, I saw cool stuff and I finally experienced Rhinebeck! It was all so much fun that I kept forgetting that I had my camera with me.

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DSC_0633I wish I had taken more pictures so I could show you all the people I met. I found my friend Carole almost as soon as I arrived at the hotel and she introduced me to... everyone. There was blogless Sharon, and blogless Manise, and Kim (who was drawn like a bee to honey to the most gorgeous wheel I've ever seen), and Kathy, and Jessalu. I also met Anne and Judy (I was knitting socks with her yarn when we met). I'm forgetting a ton of other folks too which is understandable since I met way too many people for my pea brain to handle. I was among my people - fiber people, and it was so easy and so much fun that I relaxed like I haven't relaxed in quite a while.

Adding to the fun (at least for me) was someone I convinced to join me for part of the weekend. My sister, who lives way closer to Rhinebeck than she does to me. It was a bog deal because not only doesn't she know any of "my people" - she doesn't knit at all. She was a really good sport and she braved the crowds and wasn't freaked out by the fiber folks that were everywhere we looked (they even surrounded us when we had dinner at the Culinary Institute of America).

But it wasn't all torture for my sister. Here she is conversing with a gentleman dressed in period attire. I believe he was telling her that it's not "garb". She does look like she's enjoying herself just a little bit. Right? She's even smiling and we weren't even in the food building.

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Here's a blurry picture (that I didn't take) of the two of us. Even blurry,the family resemblance is there.

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A few people asked me how Rhinebeck compared to MDS&W. Is it as big? Are the vendors the same? As far as I can see they seemed about equal in size - or very close - but there are differences. First, there is no food building at Maryland. I really liked the food building. I tasted wine, I sampled cheese and I brought home a bit of maple syrup cotton candy for the family. Yum! Definitely a plus.

There are no rides or other kid-stuff at Maryland. I suppose this is a plus or a minus depending if you've got small kids or not. Personally those days are way behind me and I could do quite nicely without the small fry when I'm looking at yarn. I also would've been happier without getting bumped repeatedly by strollers. But if my girls were still little I might feel otherwise.

One thing that both events have in common is the people who wear everything they've ever knit ALL AT ONCE. You might think it'd be less funny when you see people draped in multiple woolens in October when it's 40 degrees than it is in May when it's 80. Nope! Still funny.

For me the thing that really set Rhinebeck apart from MDS&W really had nothing to do with the events themseles and more to do with location. I attend Maryland as a commuter, usually for just one day. I go, I see, I buy, and then I go home. I don't stay up drinking with friends while discussing who was wearing what, who was there, who wasn't, or what booths had the coolest stuff. It's a totally different thing when you experience it as a commuter versus a tourist. Guess which is better?

I had the best time this weekend. It was well worth the drive and I can't wait to do it again.

9 comments:

Lucia said...

It was great to meet you! You are so right about the knits. I'm not a big shawl knitter, and every Rhinebeck I say, "Next year I'm going to have a shawl to sport." This year I might even mean it. I think shawls are a favorite because they're versatile in all kinds of weather. I've experienced everything at Rhinebeck from sunny and 75 to wet and almost cold enough to snow, and bulky sweaters come and go, but the shawls are always there.

I don't mind the strollers. The next generation of knitters has to come from somewhere, after all. Also, a line that seems really long turns out not to be quite so bad if it has strollers in it.

Carole Knits said...

It's definitely more fun when it's a whole girl's weekend. I'm so glad you were able to be there!

Linda said...

I love Rhinebeck - have been there twice. I think it is a little smaller than MD S & W, with a slightly different flavor. The first time I went with a friend just for Sat - I thought that would be enough. It could have been, but I felt rushed and like I didn't get to see everything. Two years later we went for the weekend - drove in Friday night and home on Sunday. Much better. I felt like people were a little more relaxed, less frantic. I think the fall festival is more conducive to knitting, also, and you can't beat the view. All of those leaves changing ....

Anonymous said...

I can't believe how many people were that that I missed seeing!

Yes, your sister does look happy in those pictures :-)

Manise said...

It was lovely meeting and spending time with you this weekend!

Laurie said...

Twas fun to meet you! I love Rhinebeck for all the reasons you mention.

kathy b said...

Such intricate lovely pumpkin carvings. SO GLAD you showed them.

kathy b said...

Such intricate lovely pumpkin carvings. SO GLAD you showed them.

JessaLu said...

It was great to meet you and people watch with you! ;o)